Heaven Isn't Far
by Kaori-chan2
Summary: In Vivi's darkest of hours, her heroes return to her side.
1. Dark Clouds

**AN: **I couldn't stop myself from uploading this because the idea had been bugging me ever since one very particular chapter cover. I've been writing humour fics for a while now, so I really wanted to test out my drama skills a bit since it's been so long since my last tragic fic.

The pairing is very obviously LuffyxVivi, so don't like, don't read.

I have the second and third chapter ready, too, so let's hope for the best with this one. I don't think it'll be longer than 5 chapters or so. It's set in the future, three years after Marinford, and I'm gonna let my imagination run wild a bit, so bear with me, okay?

Disclaimer: I'm on the brink of tears just thinking it, but I most certainly don't own One Piece.

**Heaven Isn't Far**

**Chapter 1:  
><strong>Dark Clouds

_Not so long ago, I met heroes. _

_In the darkest of hours, I practically ran into their arms - well, into his arms, anyway; or rather, he ran into me. And he was the brightest of them all, he was really shining. He's so carefree and reckless, they all are. I was so frustrated with him most of the time, trying to lecture him and stuff... I guess I constantly got all uppity on him._

_It was only when he saved me, saved my country, that I completely realized how awesome he is, he and his crew. I can never thank him enough. And I will never forget it, or them - least of all him. They asked me to go with them, but I couldn't. Alabasta needs me after all... and if I'm honest, I was scared of what would happen once I left everything behind that I love._

_I just hope that despite all of the fun they're having, and in between all of their amazing adventures, maybe, just maybe, they would think of me for a second. Because I'll always be thinking of them._

_I'll always be thinking of him._

Vivi puffed a little air of laughter through her nose, her fingers tracing the neat writing in her diary. The ink was smushed with dried up tears. She remembered that night well, the night they left, and the night she first wrote in that notebook her father had given to her as a present on her 14th birthday; shortly after that, she had come up with the plan to infiltrate Baroque Works, and thus, met them two years later.

Monkey D. Luffy and the Strawhat Pirates.

A smile danced across her lips as she leaned back against Carue on the sandy ground, digging her bare toes into the warm sand, and saw his grinning face appear in her mind subconsciously. He had always been grinning, that doofus. Always managed to cheer everyone up somehow, and ended up making a fool of himself and others, which often resulted in Nami beating the hell out of him. Though honestly, Vivi had dished out quite the beating sometimes, too. Only when he deserved it, of course.

She loved thinking about it. Not about the beatings, mind you. About Luffy and the others, and how fun it had been to play pirate for a few weeks. She was so grateful that Luffy had taken her along on that adventure on Little Garden. All the parties on deck at night, and the first time she had tasted alcohol - and learned its side effects.

And the never ending sea, the same that she was looking at now.

Back then, she had been too young to realize that she had probably been in love with Luffy. Or she'd had no time to think about it, during the war and its after effects, and then he'd been out cold for three days straight, and then... left. It had all been over so quickly, and Vivi got left behind with a strange emptiness in her chest that downright physically hurt. Being older and smarter, she could laugh about that now. Laugh at herself for not getting it back then, even though he'd held her so tight that day on Pell's back, high above the battleground.

Vivi had never stopped collecting the articles on them or their wanted posters. She had it all stuck inside her private little diary, carefully and neatly, together with her thoughts and insecurities and everything that mattered. She couldn't really say why she had decided to read through it all the way today of all days. Maybe because it made her happy, and forget everything for a while.

Had it really been three years already since she last saw them?

She gave a deep sigh, and Carue worriedly nudged the side of her head, which made her laugh lightly and pat his head in return. "This is crazy, right," she said softly, looking down on her luxurious black dress, now all dusty from the sand, "I'm just running away."

A dark cloud moved in front of the high standing sun, and very faintly, there was the sound of thunder slowly approaching the shores of Alabasta. When Vivi saw it, she couldn't help but smile sadly, tucking up her knees and resting her head on them.

"Look, Carue," she whispered, "The sky's crying, too."

**lllllll**

"Vivi-sama!"

The captain of the royal guard of Alabasta, Igaram, was pacing through the palace restlessly, stopping various servants and guards and demanding information from them. It was just not possible that the princess had just vanished into thin air. Though it was exactly like her to disappear so shortly before important events. She'd always had a knack for dramatic entrances.

"Mah-mah-mah! Good lord," he seethed through his teeth, unnerved, "Where _is _that girl?"

"Give her a breather once in a while, why don't you."

Igaram turned around to the gruff male voice, finding Kohza walking up to him, as always wearing his sunglasses. The first thing Igaram noticed about the new Environmental Minister of Alabasta though, was how pale and slumped he looked. Kohza walked right past him, probably not even sparing him a glance, but who could tell with those glasses.

"This day has to be tearing her apart, more than any of us. Besides, she's just a brat still."

Igaram sighed deeply, "I understand that. But she has to be there. There's no way we're doing it without her."

His fists were shaking.

"Her father could never find his peace if she doesn't see him off."

**lllllll**

Vivi must have dozed off for a few minutes, because she startled violently when the horn went off. A horn installed especially at the coasts of Alabasta for safety - a horn warning when unidentified ships were nearing the shore, most of the time pirates.

On all fours, she hurriedly crawled to the edge of the hill she was on, searching the horizon with hopeful eyes. Every time that horn went off, she kept praying it was him. She knew it was ridiculous, and maybe quite simply pointless, because he was probably the most wanted man in the world, but she couldn't help herself. Even now, she could hardly breathe in excitement, because right now, it was what kept her going. The silly thought of him coming back one day, a reality where the two of them were together, going on adventures. She needed that illusion so desperately so that she wouldn't lose herself.

And when she almost gave up, she saw it, on the far right and very small, a really big pirate ship. It was approaching Nanohana. The first city they had visited back then. Though far away, the silhouette of the ship looked quite familiar, and her heart stopped right then. Her fingers clutched at the sand, eyes wide with hope.

Could it be true? Could it really be...?

She jumped up and ran over to Carue, stumbling over her dress along the way, but her duck caught her. Vivi climbed on his back in a hurry and gently nudged his sides with her feet. "Let's go, Carue," she said to him, and the duck honked in response before dashing off towards Nanohana.

This time.

This time for sure!

**lllllll**

Pell was standing at the port of Nanohana, arms crossed and face solemn. Just waiting for that ship to come closer, waiting to recognize it. He'd had a hunch they'd come. Figured they were waiting for the last possible moment to show up, but it would have been outstandingly extraordinary if they hadn't come for this important and sad day in Vivi's life. He was glad he'd decided to check up the monitor in Nanohana for the ceremony later on. Or else he might've missed their arrival. He was glad to be the one to welcome their saviors back into their country after three years.

It was an honor, truly.

"P-Pell-sama," stuttered one of the soldiers that slowly appeared behind him, courtesy to the horn, "I-is that... possibly...?"

Pell allowed himself a small smile. "I'd put those weapons down if I were you," he said to the soldiers, "You wouldn't even stand a chance against their small fries. That's the ship of the Pirate King."

The soldier next to him suddenly got pale as ashes, cold sweat forming on his forehead as he gulped. "M-Monkey D. Luffy... He's back..."

The majestic Thousand Sunny slowly floated into the port, docking at one of the more spacious spots, and there the big, heavy anchor hit the water surface with giant splashes. Pell almost started laughing. How bold, just docking in their port like it was the most normal thing on the planet and they weren't the most wanted criminals ever recorded that had declared war on the World Government. The royal head guard just stood there, motionlessly, observing the shadows on the deck of the ship moving. He could make out the enormous form of Cyborg Franky, and the tall Humming Brook. And Jinbei really had quite the distinctive figure of his own.

A relatively large crowd of civilians had gathered by now as well. They were muttering among them, unsure how to react to their visitors. A gasp went through the crowd when two men came down first, one with three swords attached to a belt around his hips, and one in an elegant suit smoking a cigarette. Behind them, enveloped in a black, pompous coat over a black button-down shirt and black pants, wearing sandals like usual, and his signature strawhat, was Monkey D. Luffy.

He looked nothing like Pell remembered him. The child that defeated Crocodile was gone, and a man with an impressive aura was walking straight towards him. Following the three men were the rest of the crew. First were Burglar Cat and Nico Robin in long black dresses, then came Tony Chopper and Sogeking. And lastly, Humming Brook, Cyborg Franky and Jinbei. Every single one was dressed in black. And every single one was looking down, humbly.

They were mourning.

The Pirate Hunter and Black Leg stopped a few feet away from Pell, but the Pirate King walked straight ahead until he was standing right in front of the royal head guard. Luffy's face was unreadable in that moment, a look of nostalgia ghosted across his eyes, and he took the strawhat off his head - respectfully.

"Welcome back," said Pell, and held out a hand to him.

Luffy nodded and shook his hand. "I hope we're not too late," he mumbled carefully. "We were in the New World when we heard it, but we came here as fast as we could. Good thing we still had that Eternal Port."

Pell smiled slightly and put a comforting hand on the man's shoulder. "Thank you. She'll be relieved to see you all."

"Is it alright for us to dock here?" asked Black Leg, pointing his head towards the ship.

"For now, yes," Pell replied, "We declared national mourning, so the marines should stay peaceful for a few days more."

There was another gasp among the crowd, louder and painful this time, and from the corner of his eyes, Pell saw the people and soldiers slowly turning around to something behind him. He knew who it was even before anyone said something. He saw it in Luffy's eyes, in the way they widened and then narrowed to a worried frown. It was clear who he was looking at with those remorseful eyes, why he was twitching with restraint.

And then, Luffy whispered so only Pell heard, "Vivi..."

**lllllll**

Vivi felt as if she was looking at a ghost.

She must be dreaming again, it had to be another illusion. She felt nothing and everything all at once facing him and looking into his onyx eyes. He was the only person with black eyes she had ever known. Her mind was blank and breathing was a real feat all of a sudden. It felt as though someone had knocked all the air out of her lungs. Her heart was pounding so hard, it was pulsating in her ears and she heard nothing of the stunned whispers of the crowd.

Vivi had only eyes for him, Luffy.

He looked so different, so grown up. His face had lost all his naivity and childishness, and was now full of maturity and experience. The scar under his eye looked the same as ever though, and his hair was still the same shade of black she remembered, even if it was now slightly longer, but just a little - nobody but her would have noticed. His shirt wasn't buttoned up all the way, so she could make out a tiny bit of the scar he had gotten from Admiral Akainu three years ago.

They were just a few feet apart now, and Vivi realized only then that she was standing still and Luffy was the one walking towards her. When she had stopped walking, she didn't even know. But he was coming to her now, he was really here, he really came, and with that ended every thought she had, and her eyes started burning with suppressed tears. She was happy and endlessly sad. She wanted to laugh and scream hysterically.

Now he was right in front of her, so close that she could feel his warmth. She had to lift her head, because he had grown to be one whole head taller than her. How weird - back then, they'd been almost the same height. He looked her deep in the eyes, uncertainly opening his mouth, and closing it again, as if he didn't know what to say. How to find the right words.

"Vivi, I..." he finally rasped out, voice slightly cracking, "My deepest condemnation."

Vivi blinked at him in confusion.

"You idiot!" Nami both barked and sobbed at once from somewhere behind him, "It's _condolences_!"

Luffy flinched and glared indignantly at the ground, but Vivi could see that his ears had gone red. "Y-yeah, that's it. Sorry... I don't really know what to-"

Vivi interrupted him by pinching his nose.

"H-hey! What the hell, Vivi?!"

Luffy swatted her hand away out of reflex, but paused when he saw her face. She looked so lost, but so awed as well, it almost broke his heart in two. Slowly, a small, and very, very sad smile appeared on her pretty face, and he knew she was trying to keep herself from crying. Because she was just proud, and tough, and stupid like that.

"You're really here, aren't you?" she whispered then. "I'm not dreaming?"

His gaze softened, and he smiled back. And before he could stop himself, he joked, "Wanna punch me like you did back then in Yuba to make sure?"

Thankfully, Vivi actually laughed, even if it sounded slightly desperate, and shook her head. And the next moment, she threw herself at him, thin arms encircling his neck in the warmest embrace he had ever received. Luffy actually stopped breathing for a few seconds. Compared to the last time she had been in his arms, she was so tiny now - or he had grown a lot. He was almost scared to crush her lithe flame, but brought his arms around her fragile waist to hug her back anyhow, ignoring the loud yells of disbelief from the crowd about how the princess was hugging the Pirate King. He didn't care about anything right now. All that mattered was the woman in his arms, and the way she buried her face in his neck, and the way she still smelled the same as he remembered.

He was almost a little mad when Nami joined them, and then Usopp and Chopper, and everyone else just kind of gathered around them then, except for Robin, Franky, Brook and Jinbei who all kept a distance. Somewhere along the way, she had let go of him, and he felt disappointment, but tried to smile it away. Nami and Chopper were crying, but Vivi remained strong, even though he could see tears in her eyes as well.

"I hate to interrupt your reunion," Pell said after what felt like an eternity, "But we need to be on our way. We only have four hours left, but we can make it to Alubarna in time if we leave right now."

Vivi nodded as Pell lead her away from them. Luffy watched her when Pell instructed some soldiers to guard the Thousand Sunny with all their might, watched her as she went back to Carue. Then she turned to him and their eyes met, and he tried to smile, but couldn't.

The sky was clouding over more and more.

**lllllll**

With the help of the much larger and faster Shark Submerge V that Franky had finished building just recently, and then one of those giant crabs thanks to Chopper, the crew reached Alubarna just a bit after Vivi, Carue and Pell. Chaka and a few royal guards welcomed them at the gates of the city. A few court nods were shared, but no words. They walked together, and the streets of the capital of Alabasta were empty and deadly quiet, completely different from when they were first there.

The Central City Square was a sea of black umbrellas and it was only then that Luffy realized it was already raining a little bit. When the first people noticed them, they quietly stepped aside to make way, opening a path for them that lead up to a podium in front of Alubarna Palace. And there he saw a flash of azure beneath a black veil next to Igaram and Pell. The former leader of the Rebel Army was there as well. And behind them was the reason they were all here today.

Nefertari Cobra in his beautifully ornated sarcophagus.

Luffy took a deep breath, dreading each step towards the podium. He could hear Nami's quiet sobs behind him, mixed with a few sniffs from Chopper, and of course Franky was crying by now, too. There were soft cries all around him. Everyone was crying, all of these thousands of people were shedding tears for their deceased king. His chest clenched painfully when he took the last step on the stairs, and his gaze was glued onto Vivi, feeling a wretched kind of awe at the vision of her. And damn it, a woman like her was supposed to wear a white veil, not a black one. This didn't suit her at all.

She looked so small and fragile between the monstrous quartet of Igaram, Pell, Chaka and Kohza. It made Luffy want to pull her close against him, and protect her from the stares of the rest of the world, shield her from this terrible day. But he knew she had to go through this all by herself, like he had when Ace died, or Nami when her mother died, and Zoro when his childhood friend died, and everyone else in his crew who had lost someone dear to them. He couldn't help her, nobody could, and there was nothing he could say to make her feel better - nothing would be good enough, he knew it well.

Luffy did as previously briefed by Brook, as the swordsman had been in duty to a kingdom once, and gave a small, courteous bow to Vivi. He could see her eyes widen slightly behind her veil - she was probably completely dumbfounded by the gesture, and yes, Luffy felt a little stupid doing it, but since the whole kingdom was watching, and since this day was special in a devastating way not only to Vivi, but also to them, he sucked it up. Brook had said to him that it was necessary to show Alabasta his respect and condolences, just like every other royal should; though a king only in speech, Luffy _was _now a king in a way. Still a concept entirely foreign to him.

Vivi returned the bow to him after a moment of wonder, and he along with the rest of the crew took their places on the sidelines. He made sure Robin was positioned right next to him, just in case he had some questions, like everyone knew he would. A man he only noticed now, dressed in a pompous robe with some kind of generously ornated turban, stepped forward to the microphone, and Luffy shot his archaeologist and historian a confused look.

"The high priest," whispered Robin without looking at him.

Luffy knew that meant the whole ordeal would start now, even though this was the first funeral he'd ever been to. He usually skipped this part, because it meant goodbye forever, and he hated goodbyes. The only other funeral he would have gone to was Ace's, but he'd been on the verge of death himself at that time. So he couldn't help but feel anxious now.

The high priest started his speech about the fragility of life and the path to the afterworld or something, and Luffy tried to really listen to it, even though he felt like it was so unpersonal and had nothing to do with Vivi's father. The subject of King Cobra's vicious illness that had slowly taken his life was carefully avoided. No word about how caring and generous or selfless he had been, just a bunch of crap about ancestors and a proud and ancient bloodline reaching back long before the Void History. Eventually, Vivi and her deceased mother were mentioned as well in the only heartfelt sentence in the whole speech: That Cobra may rest easy reunited with his wife in heaven, as his kingdom is in the loving hands of his beautiful daughter now. Luffy actually smiled a little at that. Yeah, Cobra would be really proud of her.

The speech was concluded with a prayer by the high priest in which he blessed the lost king with a peaceful journey and asked him to take his rightful place among the kings of the past to watch over Alabasta. By the time he was finished, it was downright pouring from the sky onto them, but Vivi refused an umbrella. As did the Strawhats and the royal guards, maybe simply because she did. She lifted her veil and let it fall to the ground so everybody could see her face, features expressionless and eyes downcast.

It must have been some kind of code, because the moment it happened, Chaka and Pell turned towards the sarcophagus, to lift it up. It was time. Time to forever say goodbye to a king, a father, and a friend. Luffy clenched his fists when he realized this was actually happening to Vivi, to Alabasta. He momentarily thought about the consequences, about what that meant for Vivi, what she would have to go through after this, but he needed to focus. He needed to focus on this, no matter how hard it was.

Chaka and Pell gripped the front of the sarcophagus and two other guards bent down to take the rear, and before he really knew what he was doing, Luffy walked forward to the unknown guards closest to him. Maybe it was his sheer presence, the Haki that everyone close to him always felt, that made the guard turn around, because Luffy didn't even make a single sound. But then the words were out almost automatically.

"Can I do it?"

The guard looked at him incredulously, but Chaka and Pell were smiling softly. When Igaram nodded his okay, the two guards moved away from the king's last bed, and Luffy stepped forward. He raised a hand, touching the golden surface, and it was cold. He ran his hand over it for a moment, allowed himself to reminisce of three years prior when he had met the king. He'd been a great man, one of greatest he had ever known. He had created the most amazing things, one of which was his daughter. And Luffy silently swore something to King Cobra right then.

_You can rest easy. Leave everything else up to me_, he told him in his mind, _I'll take care of her._

He looked up and his eyes met with his first mate. "Zoro," he said to him, "Can you-"

"It'd be an honor, Captain," Zoro replied with a small nod and stepped forward to grab the rear of the sarcophagus together with Luffy.

Chaka gave them a nod, and the four of them simultaneously lifted the large coffin up in the air, onto their shoulders. Nobody needed to say where they were going to take him to. Luffy knew it better than anybody, because he'd been there, he'd saved them there. Alabasta's holy place where every royal had been entombed up to this day. They were walking down the stairs first, and Vivi followed directly behind them. Only then were the others allowed to move.

They made their way through the seemingly never ending crowd of a thousand black umbrellas, and Luffy fought the urge to turn around to Vivi a million times. He wanted so desperately to reassure her, and tell her everything would be fine, that she was amazing and so strong and he admired her for everything she was. For everything she had taught him and for all the wonderful things she would do for this country in the future.

But he simply continued carrying her father to his last resting place - the Tomb of the Kings.

**tbc**


	2. Pillar of Hope

**AN: **Woohoo, two chapters in two days! Well, not really a big feat, I did say I had three chapters finished already...

Glad to see people seem to like the concept! Even though it's very sad. And this chapter is even more heartbreaking, at least to me it is. But judge yourself. I really tried to keep everyone in character, but naturally it's not that easy with a difficult plot like this. Moreover, everyone's another year older than in the canon storyline. I hope I managed to make everyone's actions believable.

And yes, I had to give Luffy divisions. He's the Pirate King in this, after all!

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. (sobs grossly)

**Chapter 2:**  
>Pillar of Hope<p>

Vivi felt like her whole world was shattering right beneath her feet.

She felt so numb and hollow, so incomplete and lost. It was only now, walking behind the sarcophagus, that she completely realized that her father was gone forever. He was never coming back to her. She would never be able to feel comfort in his arms ever again. Never again would he smile at her and call her name with all the love of the world. Or scold her when she did something outrageous.

Her father was gone and she was so, so lonely right now.

But one look at her friends, and everything looked a little brighter. As soon as they had left the Central City Square behind, Nami had come to her side and grabbed her hand tightly. That was how they were walking now, hand in hand, and Vivi was so grateful she was here - her best friend, and the only one she had exchanged letters with over the years. Vivi was squeezing her hand so tightly, it just had to hurt, but Nami didn't even wince and Vivi didn't notice. She just needed something to cling to.

And every time she felt like she had to stop walking and break down in tears, she found herself looking at Luffy's back, and her heart swelled. She had been so stunned, so touched that he had offered to carry her father to his tomb with everyone else. Never in her life had she been so sure that she loved another person that much like right then. Vivi couldn't even believe it, but right now, she knew more than ever that she loved Luffy, like a woman loved a man.

She didn't know how, but suddenly they were right in front of the Tomb of the Kings, and the royal guard was standing in front of it, giving their last greeting. All of them were standing tall, their weapons raised, and Vivi could see the sadness in their faces. Some were biting their lips to suppress tears, and she realized then that not only she had lost a father.

The whole country had lost their guardian.

That was why she had to be strong. For the sake of her people, she absolutely couldn't cry. If she cried, they would all break down. Vivi had to be their pillar of hope, the one they could look up and cling to, as the future queen of Alabasta. Even though she was trembling, even though her eyes were hurting, she had to stay strong. She couldn't blink, or else the tears were going to fall out. She had to hold onto Nami, if she didn't, she feared she would faint.

Nami squeezed her hand when she lingered for a moment, at the top of the stairs leading into the illuminated darkness of the tomb. It was only then that Vivi found the courage, the strength to walk down. Her legs felt heavier with each step she took down, shaking so much that she was scared they would give out, and at the last step, they did. Maybe she slipped, or she stumbled, or maybe it was quite simply the fatigue finally taking over after not sleeping for two days, but next she knew she was on her knees.

"Vivi!" she heard Nami yelp in alarm, crouching down next to her and gripping her hand tightly with both of hers.

No one could describe the surprise Vivi felt when on her other side, Nico Robin appeared and gently took hold of her other arm. "Your highness?"

She forced a small smile as they helped her back up to her feet. "I'm alright," she whispered softly. Both refused to let go of her, and the princess bewildered herself, but most of all Robin, when she hesitantly grabbed for her hand as well, for support. She just acted on an impulse, she felt she needed it. "I'm alright," she repeated.

Vivi lifted her head and noticed the worried looks everyone was giving her, and that all of them had stopped walking. All eyes were on her, filled with sympathy, regret and so much sadness, only Luffy's eyes were different. His eyes were steady, encouraging and reassuring. Maybe it was her imagination, but she thought there was a tiny smile hiding in the corners of his mouth. It was filling her up with hope and warmth up to her very core, and she realized that she wasn't a pillar at all.

The only pillar of hope was Luffy.

"I'll be okay," she breathed, very softly, and it was meant for him.

He gave a small nod, and they proceeded. She felt so protected, with Nami to her right, and Robin to her left, holding onto their hands. She didn't care that Robin had worked with Crocodile, none of her crimes mattered anymore. Vivi only cared that Luffy trusted this woman with his life, and not once had Robin done anything not to deserve it. That was why Vivi trusted her, too. And the way Robin was gripping her hand tightly, trying to make it all better by using her other hand to tenderly squeeze her shoulder, let the princess know that she had been in the wrong about this woman all along.

They were now deep in the tomb, entering a room she knew all too well. The walls were ornated with ancient writings, the language and scripts of the ancients of Alabasta, telling the story of King Cobra and Nefertari Titi, and in the back, there was the dusty but still beautiful sarcophagus of her mother. In front of it was a small podest. It had been there for a long time, waiting for her father. No words were needed as Chaka, Pell, Luffy and Zoro all simultaneously and slowly started to lower the king's last bed onto it.

Then, all of the people down there with her lowered their head in a silent mourning, bidding their last respect and goodbyes. Vivi was biting down on her lower lip so much that it hurt, but she refused to cry. Not here, not now. She could cry to her heart's content later, when she was alone in her chamber. She had to be strong. She couldn't cry. Even when her eyes were clouding over and she couldn't see a thing anymore, she couldn't cry.

Her eyes widened when she felt a calloused, big hand on her cheek, sliding over her skin, into her hair, to the back of her head, and next she knew, her face pressed into warmth - all-consuming warmth that felt too good to bear. The faint smell of rain mingled with a familiar, calming fragrance, and the grip on her hands loosened and vanished, and she was enveloped in strong arms, her face hidden from everyone else.

"Go ahead," she heard, a quiet whisper in her darkest of times, "No one will see."

Luffy held her so tight, even tighter than that day on Pell's back, high above the battlefield. Her hands came up, fingers curling into his shirt and coat, face pressed tightly against his chest as he shielded her from the stares of everyone else.

"You can cry now."

And she did.

**lllll**

Luffy didn't know how long they stayed like this, but it felt like an eternity. Vivi was shaking violently in his arms, silent sobs vibrating against him, and dampness on his skin. His heart was breaking, and still he held her as tight as he could, his one hand carressing her head lovingly and his other protecting her from the worried looks his crew and her guards were throwing them. It was like time was standing still, and nobody dared to move. And nobody dared to speak.

One by one, they left. And after a while, only Luffy and Vivi were left down there, in the Tomb of the Kings, in front of King Cobra's sarcophagus.

Even now, Vivi was desperately holding onto him, and he refused to let her go until she had cried as much as she needed to. And if they had to stand there for the whole night, him embracing her, he would endure it. He'd do everything just to make her feel better, even if just a little. Just to see her smile, he'd readily give up his life. For her, for her happiness, there was nothing he wouldn't do. She was his most precious thing in the whole world.

She was his One Piece.

He wasn't sure how it happened, but the one thing he was sure of was that he loved her. Not like he loved his nakama. He loved her as a man. And when Nami had informed him of Cobra's death, he'd left everything behind without a second thought and ordered to head to Alabasta. He didn't care that they'd been on the brink of war that moment, or about the battle that was in motion. He hadn't given a damn about any of that. All he'd needed was the smile of encouragement from Sabo when he'd told him that something urgent had come up and they'd have to postpone their assault on Mariejois. And then there was that pat on his back by his older brother, promising to explain everything to his father, and that Luffy should go be where his heart was.

And one look down at Vivi's blue head of hair told him exactly where his heart was. It was where he had left it three years ago. Safe in her hands, and she'd kept it alive and beating through all his hardships. He'd only made it through it all because she had always been on his mind. Her face, her smile, her cheekiness, her braveness, her everything - all that was what kept him going, why he never even thought of giving up.

It was all so he could return to her one day.

No one could describe how much it pained him that it had to happen because of something like this. Luffy had imagined his coming back to her countless times. He would show up out of the blue, shouting that he was back, and she would give out a yelp of joy, jumping into his arms. They would live happily ever after, Cobra would welcome him into the family, and everything would be fine. Her father would promise to be here, and Luffy would be able to take Vivi away to some adventures. None of that was possible anymore.

The torches illuminating the tomb were getting dimmer and dimmer by the second, and somehow, they'd sunk to the ground. Luffy was leaning against the sarcophagus, and Vivi was kneeling between his legs, still enveloped in an embrace. She had calmed down a little, only sniffing weakly, cheek pressed against his chest as he leisurely ran a hand through her azure hair.

And then, she whispered, like she couldn't really believe it, "You're here." As if she needed proof, to make sure this was real.

"I'm here," he whispered back, barely recognizing his own voice.

She snuggled closer against him. "D-don't go," she sobbed.

"They'd have to kill me."

Her hands were gripping at his black button-down shirt so fiercely that it might rip any second, but he couldn't care less. Her body was trembling again, and Luffy was never so sure he'd done the right thing than in that moment. Leaving everything to Sabo was a safe bet anyhow, but Luffy wouldn't have turned his back on a battle for anyone but Vivi. Only for her. Only for her, he'd go so far. Only for her, the Pirate King would abandon everything, and rush to her side. If that wasn't love, he didn't know what could be.

They were so young back then, when Crocodile corrupted this country. They were young, and stupid, and only children. How could he have known that all the admiration, the awe, the amazement he felt, were really just the beginnings of love? How could he have known that the reason he had cried, when they'd left her behind on the shores of that island, was just his own regret? He had been too naive three years ago, too focused on becoming the Pirate King, too absorbed in his idea of freedom and his yearn for adventures, to think of something trivial as love.

He probably realized it when Ace died. Because that was when he almost died as well. At the very least, that was what brought it on. His life had been flashing before his eyes, and it had been filled with Ace, and Vivi laughing, Sabo, and Vivi crying, his grandpa, and Vivi shouting at him, Shanks, and Vivi taking care of him, his nakama, and Vivi, Vivi, Vivi. What he'd been left with was regret, disappointment, anger, emptiness. And when Jinbei asked him what it was he still had, and he thought of nakama, and when Jinbei asked him what he wanted to do, and he thought, becoming king of pirates so I can go back to Vivi, he knew for sure.

She was the reason he still existed.

How much was that worth? There was no estimation to that. There was nothing in the world he could give her in return except his whole being. He knew that now, knew it with all that he was, now that she was in his arms. And if he could take just one ounce of her pain by simply holding her, he would do it forever. As long as she needed him, as long as he was just one tiny bit of use to her, he'd do it. Whatever she asked of him, he'd do it. If she asked him to take on the world, he'd absolutely and without a doubt do it.

Vivi was silent now. No more crying, or sobs, sniffs, she wasn't even shaking or trembling anymore. She was still, calm, breathing evenly. Was she asleep?

"Vivi?" he whispered.

"Mmm?"

Luffy gulped at the sound of her hollow voice. It sounded so foreign. "I'll be here forever, you know."

"Really?"

Her voice was so hoarse, but hopeful, he didn't know what he felt. "I promise."

Vivi's breath ghosted over his neck and he got goosebumps. "I-I'm so scared, Luffy-san," she whispered, burying her face in his neck.

He squeezed her tighter. "I know, but you don't have to be," he uttered back, his hand pressing her head closer against him. "We'll be by your side. We're backing you up, no matter what happens."

"B-But..." Another fit of sobs shook her body. "I'm all on my own now! Without my father, what should I do? I-I'm only 19, and I'm all alone-"

"Hey!"

Acting on reflexes, he grabbed her face with both hands, forcing her to look at him. It was the first time he looked at her ever since she had started crying, and he couldn't even begin to explain how the sight of her despaired expression broke him in half, but he forced himself to look, to make her see, to make her understand.

"You're _not _alone," he said firmly. "If there's anything you shouldn't worry about, it's being alone. I won't allow that. Me and my crew, and all of the divisions under me, we'll have your back, always. Listen to me, Vivi," he took a breath, stroking her right cheek with his thumb, "I'm always gonna back you up. There's nothing you can't ask me to do. Ask me anything, I don't care what is. Ask me, and I'll do it for you!"

Vivi's eyes were wide with awe, and Luffy realized what he'd said, his face heating up in embarrassment. That had been practically a confession. Had she realized? It didn't really look like she did. She just welled up with tears again, burying her face in his chest once again and crying loudly. Luffy didn't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.

So he just held her.

"Good thing you're taking hold of a helping hand now," he said to her, gently. "Your dad would be proud."

**lllll**

They were greeted by puzzled stares when they exited the King of Tombs. His crew was still there, as well as all of the heads of the royal army. Maybe they were simply surprised because Vivi refused to let go of Luffy. She still had her hands entangled tightly in his shirt. Only Robin flashed him a gentle, knowing smile, that he returned in kind. On the bright side, Vivi had stopped crying. On the dark side, her eyes were so empty and lifeless, it made it hard to look at her.

"Mah-mah-mah!" Igaram was the first next to them. "The people were worried! It's been three hours, you should-"

As soon as Igaram tried to pry her off the Pirate King, Vivi only clung onto Luffy tighter, screaming, "NO!"

Igaram was stunned, to say the least, as was Luffy and everyone else. He could just stroke her back in a comforting gesture, at a loss of what to say. It was moments like this that he was proud to have a sixth sense for people, because Zoro was just reliable like that. His precious first mate, his unannounced vice, and right hand stepped forward, sure of himself, unwavering like a fortress made of iron.

"Can't you see she's were she wants to be?" Zoro snarled, gruff as usual. "All of you, leave it, and try to make a way to the castle without her being seen." He gave a deep sigh. "I speak for my captain, and I'm sure he wants her shielded. Your new queen needs privacy."

His eyes met Zoro's, and he knew his first mate saw what he was feeling.

"Isn't that right, Captain?"

Luffy couldn't help a small smile. He could always count on Zoro. "That's right," he said, firmly, and because his crew knew that tone of voice, they perked up. "Guys, our mission is to get Vivi into the castle without commotion. I'll be with her, so listen to what the Royal Army says. We'll be here for them, so I don't want anyone questioning Bull, Falcon, Curly-Ossan or the ex-Rebel's orders, you got me?"

His crew gave him firm nods. "Aye, Captain!"

"Good." He smirked. "I entrust Alubarna to all of you. This is our turf, so I want you to behave, for Vivi's sake. Don't wreck anything. That means _you_, Sanji."

Sanji almost blew up. "Bastard! Just because I blew some holes into the walls last time-"

"Anyway, Zoro's in command," Luffy grinned, interrupting him, "So everyone, listen to him."

"Aye, Captain!"

"Tch..."

Pell slowly, carefully approached them, and even if his hand was stretched out, he didn't dare to touch Vivi. "Luffy-kun... is she...?"

Luffy smiled at him. "She's the bravest woman I know," he told him. "She'll be fine. I'll take care of her. I promised her old man."

The falcon man blinked, taken aback. But slowly, a small, reassured smile spread across his face, full of relief. "When you say that, do you mean...?"

Luffy, realizing what he wanted to know, immediately grinned, "Of course."

"Then I will say no more," Pell uttered, taking a light bow at Luffy and Vivi and then turning back towards his squad. "See that you make way for the Pirate King and Princess Vivi-sama!"

Luffy watched, proud, as Zoro took over Kohza's squad, Sanji worked with Pell, Jinbei with Chaka and Robin with Igaram (who she'd blown up, mind you). He was so amazed at how his crew could take matters in their own hands and let him focus on what they knew was most important to him - shielding Vivi.

She'd gotten so weak by now. Luffy looked down at her, a little happy that she wouldn't let go of him, but concerned of her at the same time. Fatigue was clouding her hollow eyes, she was breathing heavily by now, and Luffy could swear she had a fever. He knew he was only estiminating it basied on his own body temperature, so he couldn't be sure since he was still a little damp from the rain, but he had a feeling she was sick. It was the way she was pressing up against his body, hot beyond belief, and he had to hold her up straight. Just as he thought it, Vivi's legs gave way and she collapsed. Good thing Luffy had her in his arms already.

"Vivi-sama!"

"The princess fainted!"

"Hey! Hey, Vivi!" Luffy shouted out, gently patting her face, but she gave no reaction. He looked up at some guard. "She's out cold. Will you listen to me?"

The squad leader saluted. "Strawhat-sama! If Vivi-sama trusts you, your wish shall be our command!"

Luffy nodded, relieved. "Thanks. 'Cause she's burning up, so I'm gonna need you to show me the quickest way into the palace," he mumbled while simultaneously wriggling himself out of his black coat to wrap around the princess, and then slipping his hand beneath the hollow of her knees to pick her up. Which was when he remembered her words to him in Drum, so he bowed slightly to the guards. "Uh, _please_."

The guards exchanged bewildered and a little flustered looks, before the squad leader said, "Th-this way, Strawhat-sama."

He couldn't suppress a small smile. Vivi's country was really awesome.

**lllll**

Somehow, they'd all made it into the castle, without being seen.

Luffy put Vivi down on her bed as gently as he could before he was swarmed by Igaram, Pell, and above all Nami. He was pushed away by them all, worried as they were, but the most worried one was Nami, gripping at Vivi's hand tightly. The princess was unconscious, and not only from exhaustion. She was still burning up severely, her breathing ragged and quick, and when Nami realized that, she whirled around in a panic.

"She's got a really bad fever!" she yelled out, her voice shrill and worried, "Chopper!"

The little reindeer ran over, in his human form, to be able to push Igaram away. "Outta my way," he uttered, stetoscope ready. "Nami, you too, I need space here."

"But-"

"Scram, Nami!"

"What was that?!"

Luffy was at a loss of what to do. All of a sudden, everything was in a chaos, Igaram was wailing and yelling how they couldn't let Vivi die, Nami was vainly shouting at him to calm the hell down, Pell and Chaka were agitatedly discussing their next steps seeing how Vivi was sick, someone was constantly asking what Vivi had, and he was just standing there motionlessly. His eyes were wide, he felt numb, limp, his arms just hanging down and shoulders slumped. His chest clenched painfully at her sight, and there was suddenly a knot forming in his stomach. He couldn't do anything for her. He was completely powerless, and the noise, everything, was far, far away.

"-ain."

Something curled around his shoulder. Luffy flinched, and then everything was loud again. He turned towards the thing on his shoulder, saw bony fingers, and Brook's face appeared before him. "Huh?"

"Captain," said his musician, worry in his words as he held out a shirt to him, "You should change out of your wet clothes as well."

Luffy blinked at the cloth for a moment, still a little dazed, and shook his head to snap out of it. "Yeah. Yeah, thanks," he mumbled, taking the shirt from Brook's cold hands.

He didn't bother leaving the room to change. The only time he took his eyes off of her was during the second that he pulled the warm, dry shirt over his head. Chopper had finished his examination, and it got quiet while he explained that Vivi was simply exhausted. All she needed was a good night's rest, and she'd be back on her feet in no time, so there was no reason to worry. Luffy released a relieved breath that he didn't know he'd been holding, his lips tugging up in a small smile.

A presence suddenly appeared next to him, nudging his shoulder, and smoke tickled his nose. "You saved her, Luffy." Sanji's voice was oddly soft. "Even more than back then, you saved her today. Lucky bastard."

"But I feel helpless."

He didn't need to turn around to know Sanji's eyes widened. After all, Luffy had never said something like that before. But Sanji, and Zoro, they were his most trusted friends. They were there, whatever insane request he'd had, never questioning him, always following whatever order. They trusted him, with all they had, trusting Luffy to catch them when they fell. And now, Luffy felt like falling, and they were there. He felt stupid. So stupid. They had known it before he knew. They knew what Alabasta meant to him. It was embarrassing, really, but more than that it was pride that welled within him. His men knew him good enought to tell. And they valued him as much as to risk their lives to get him back to his queen.

Sanji sighed. "Sure you do," he uttered, "You're a man in love. I know that feeling. Welcome to my world."

Luffy bit his lower lip. "It hurts."

"Of course it does. If it weren't so, nobody would do it."

"But," he muttered, "If it hurts, and everyone knows it, why would you want it?"

Sanji smiled widely at him, throwing an arm around his captain. "Because even if it hurts, isn't there someone who's worth it?"

For some reason, it almsot made Luffy cry. "Yeah," he answered. "More than that."

Sanji grinned, patting his back. "So there you have it."

"Sanji! Are you crazy?" Chopper snapped, and snatched the cigarette from the cook's mouth. "You can't smoke in here! Vivi's sick!"

"Shit, you're right! Vivi-chwan, I'm so sorry!"

He couldn't stifle the chuckle as Chopper continued to reprimand Sanji, and then went over to scold Igaram to keep it down, since the big guy was now crying rather loudly about how relieved he was. Luffy glanced back at Vivi the moment she started stirring, moving strangely in her sleep. Then her eyes went open in a flash, and she started screaming so loudly and desperate as if someone was trying to murder her, startling everyone. Nami was vainly trying to grab her and calm Vivi down, but was hit by a swatting hand - not that his navigator really cared.

Nobody tried to hold him back when he ran forward, squishing himself through the people surrounding her. He gently pushed Nami back by her shoulder, pulled the covers up and then lay down next to Vivi. Her arms were wildly thrashing about, hitting him, but he payed no mind to it, his arms coming around her. The moment he held her, she calmed down instantly, her breathing evening out, and soon she was sleeping quietly again.

"What kinda magic trick is that? Seriously," he heard Nami grumble.

"Well, I think," Pell spoke up, and Luffy could practically hear his smile, "It's for the best if Luffy-kun stays with her tonight."

**lllll**

Vivi was still feverish an hour later, and still sleeping soundly. She had wriggled herself out of his arms in the meantime, so Luffy was just lying next to her, his head supported by a hand as he absentmindedly played with her hair, loving how smooth it felt between his fingers and how it glistened in the soft light like the azure water of the ocean. Her naturally tan face looked so pale and beaten, covered in a thin layer of sweat, and her plump lips had lost all color. Yet he still thought she was beautiful, how weird. He vaguely made out Nami smirking at his actions and stares, and he immediately let go of Vivi's blue locks, cheeks hot and a flustered frown on his face. He forgot that she had stayed behind to take care of Vivi.

Nami giggled softly as she wringed out a white cloth in a bowl of ice water. "You were always kinda weird when it came to women. It all makes sense now," she said to him, gently placing the cold and wet cloth on Vivi's scorching hot forehead. "I gotta say, I'm glad you're normal."

"What the hell," he mumbled awkwardly.

She sat down on the edge of the bed on the other side next to Vivi. "No need to be embarrassed, Luffy. We all knew," she smiled, winking at him.

"Huh?"

"C'mon, it was so obvious." Nami rolled her eyes at him. "You didn't think your own crew wouldn't notice, did you?"

Luffy blinked at her, but then gave up and started chuckling hoarsely. "I can't ever fool you, Nami, eh?"

She laughed, flicking his forehead. "Me? Never."

His gaze dropped down on the sleeping princess. She looked more peaceful now, with the coldness on her forehead. His eyes softened, and he let his breath out in a deep sigh. It was maddening. There was nothing they could do for her, other than being next to her. But maybe that was enough. Maybe it was enough that all of them were here with her. Support and love was all they had to offer, and they wanted nothing in return.

"She'll get over this, right?" he asked Nami, furrowing his brows. "I mean- she- she'll be okay, won't she?"

Nami's lips tugged up in a warm smile. She stood up, slowly, walked over to Luffy and bent down to press a soft kiss to his temple. "She's got you, doesn't she? Thanks to you, all of us got over our traumas, so just stay right where you are. I'm sure she'll be happy waking up next to you," she said to him, ruffling his hair, and he felt his cheeks flush with heat. "I'll leave you guys alone now. Try to get some shut-eye, too. And don't you dare raid the kitchen, we're guests here!"

Luffy pouted at her, scowling. "I'm not leaving Vivi alone!"

"Heh." His navigator smirked, clearly amused. "I'm counting on you, Captain."

When the door to Vivi's room fell shut, Luffy turned his head behind to blow out the candle on the nightstand. As soon as the room was completely dark except for the soft moonlight shining through a tiny gap in the curtains, he felt his eyelids grow heavy and his head landed on the pillow. Stirred by his movements, the princess turned her face and body towards him, made a small noise of content, and he smiled wearily, his fingers grazing over her cheek. He pulled up the covers over her more, and it took all of his endurance and will not to kiss her.

"Good night, Vivi," he simply whispered to her and closed his eyes.

**tbc**


End file.
